Return To Her Beginning
by Thoughtful Tikal
Summary: Today passes, tomorrow comes, and she wakes up.


**Edited: 11/27/14**

**"There is nothing like a dream to create the future." -Victor Hugo**

_At the end of it all was a long, awaited, happy ending. Kagome wished for the Shikkon Jewel to shatter and peace was restored to the Feudal Era. _

_The fighting was over. She went back home but realized she didn't want to live without Inuyasha. The young woman bid her mother farewell and returned to the Feudal Era to spend the rest of her life with Inuyasha as his wife._

_This newlywed couple looks over a cliff as the sun sets, happy that they can spend every day together now, towards tomorrow..._

_Everything gets wishy-washy and Kagome finds herself back in her bed, with her room's same color scheme and rain pouring against the window. _

"Huh?"

The teenager heard cascades pit-patting against her window and stared at it like it wasn't supposed to be so. This transition from sleep to consciousness overwhelmed her and she couldn't make anything here in _this_ realm to be normal.

Buyo's soft meows interrupted Kagome's train of thought as the cat laid on the foot of her bed. This feline got up and stretched, then walked up toKagome and took a seat next to her.

Kagome made a compassionate look at her and started petting her head like so. The texture of Buyo's fur and sound of soft purrs felt real enough.

Buyo looked up into her owner's face and let out another meow. Whatever she was trying to say, Kagome would never know, but the girl acknowledged her pet's efforts to try to get her point across.

_This doesn't feel like a dream... everything I experienced before just now would have to all be imaginary, but it felt real! The adventures, the fights, the good times, even those moments I spent with everyone, and Inuyasha... was my time with Inuyasha all a dream? Were all those feelings and struggles we shared really false?_

Knock-knock-knock!

Kagome dramatically turned towards the door and heard her mother's voice.

"Kagome. Sorry to bother you, but your friends came to visit you. I let them wait downstairs in the living room and gave them cookies. If you're feeling better, I can let them know that you'll come out and meet them."

"Okay, Mom, tell them I'll be down in 10 minutes!"

Kagome hurried from out of bed to change into casual attire and brush her hair. After not so much time, she appeared coming downstairs to meet Yuka, Ayumi, and Eri, her three best friends.

"Kagome, did you forget the plans we had to visit Hikawa Shrine?" Yuka asked when they were all outside under their umbrellas, "I heard the Hikawa Shrine has some charms that bring your partner eternal love! Everyone from school has been getting them."

She and Kagome's other pals were happy and over-excited, but she wasn't sure if she was in the mood to hangout today. She'd forgotten all about their plans to visit this shrine, and this full-length dream of hers was stuck in her mind. There was no way that all the time, sweat, blood, hurts, joys, sorrows, smiles, affections, heartbreak, and tears were all in her head. It just didn't make any sense to her.

"Kagome, what's wrong?" asked Ayumi, "You haven't said a word since we came and got you."

"I'm fine, don't mind me. What's this shrine you guys told me about?"

"It's a shrine on Main Street that's ran by the head priest and his granddaughter, Rei Hino. She's so beautiful, I'm sure lots of guys notice her," Yuka explained, "Do you think Hojo could be one of those guys?"

"No, Hojo's got his eyes on Kagome," Eri interjected.

"Well Kagome doesn't seem like she's interested. Kagome, when's the last time you and Hojo talked?" Ayumi asked.

"Uh... I'm not sure, to be honest."

"What? You don't remember the last time you talked to him? You should make plans to see him today."

"Hey, I've got an idea. Why don't we make Kagome an appointment to see the head priest's granddaughter? She gives love advice. Maybe she could help finally pair Kagome and Hojo up," Yuka suggested.

"Guys, this is Kagome's life we're talking about. Let's see what she decides to do, and whatever it is, we'll support it," Eri considered.

"You're right, Eri. Kagome, whoever you decide to go out with, Hojo or someone complete stranger, we'll be there for you."

"Yeah, we're always here if you ever need to talk," Ayumi added.

Kagome could see raindrops eventually stop coming down from the sky and leaving the sky with a clear gray. She and her group folded in their umbrellas and approached the long staircase that would lead them to their destination. The journey up these stairs allowed her mind to go elsewhere.

_I can't believe it was all dream! The Shikkon Jewel was there! I fell down our family well and landed in Tokyo just as it'd been 500 years ago! Something about this is completely wrong..._

"Wow… this place is so beautiful! Could you imagine what type of people live here?" Ayumi took in these new surroundings she and her friends saw on top of the staircase. Around them were trees abundant with orange cherry blossoms. The season of Fall really had an effect on its warm oranges and yellows.

"Hi, how can I help you young girls? Would you like some love charms?"

A dwarfish man with a bald head had noticed his visitors and came out from his house to greet them. His pleasant smile was larger than his wrinkled old face.

Yeah, we were wondering if we could meet your granddaughter, Rei. Is she home today?" Yuka began.

"No. She went with her friends to a hot spring for vacation."

"Aww... do you know when she'll be back, sir?" Eri queried.

"No, sorry. What the reason you girls needed to see her?"

"We wanted some dating advice, for our friend, Kagome," Yuka spoke up.

"Ah! Well, Rei should be back soon. She plans on staying up there for three more days. So come back then!"

* * *

><p>Later, Kagome was back home heading towards the front door. She and her friends had made a stop by Wacdnalds and talked about Hojo more before parting ways. They didn't get to speak to Rei about love, so Kagome's friends planned on bringing her back to Hikawa Shrine to finally deal with the matter.<p>

...

...

Now Kagome was in the middle of Higurashi Shrine's walkway and could turn left to see the family well. Intently, she went towards it and entered its small hut to gaze down inside the well. At the bottom was just dirt. Not Fuedal Era's peaceful blue skies or any centipede women coming to snatch her. It was just a well...

_When Buyo led me to this well, I was pulled in by a centipede demon and landed in the Feudal Era. When I returned after wishing the Shikkon Jewel out of existence, I saw clear blue skies... now all I see is dirt._

Deciding to test the well and jump in, Kagome stepped closer and motioned to climb into it. Maybe it was silly of her to try this. Perhaps she would enter to the other side and never return her to her world.

Kagome wasn't thinking rationally. She'd known what she felt during that whole dream. In it, some parts _were_ real. She couldn't explain it, but the teenager knew somewhere in her heart that this dream-like experience was introduced to her for a reason.

So right when she was about to go ahead and jump in, a familiar voice rang from outside and halted her.

"Kagome! Are you out here? Hojo's here to pick you up for your date."

...

...

Totally distracted, Kagome stepped down from the well to go and see about this other deal. She hadn't remembered planning to go out with Hojo. Just like she hadn't remembered choosing a day to hang with her friends. The girl was having trouble keeping track of her thoughts lately.

* * *

><p>Away from the city, up in Azabu-Juuban Hot Springs, Rei and her four best friends were enjoying its nature and just socializing like teenagers usually did. As Sailor Scouts, they'd recently defeated an enemy named Galaxia and helped their allies, the Sailor Starlights and Princess Kakyuu save the galaxy. There'd been happy times, sad times, and so the Sailor Scouts were just still moving forward.<p>

"Being a Sailor Scout and finishing high school was really exhausting," began Rei's friend, Serena.

"So that was your fourth love?" Rei's other friend, Mina, had another conversation with their pal, Lita.

"My fourth crush was on the boy from the library."

"Couldn't you find a place more lively? Honestly, all you talk about is just looking."

"And what about you, Mina? When will you finally look for that special someone?"

"Ha-ha-ha..."

Rei laughed at this discussion then noticed how quiet her last friend, Ami was. This intellectual girl was liking these hot springs and taking in every peaceful moment of it. But still, didn't she have something to say? "What's got you so quiet, Ami?"

"I was just thinking about this place. Somewhere on the lower end of this mountain, there's an interesting historical site that can be visited. It's the Sacred Tree, a tree that a half-demon was pinned to and has been there for 500 years."

"Are you for real, Ami? How is that even possible?" Serena asked.

"Historians and scientists are still looking for answers. A fictional romance story I read about this half demon and priestess explains it, but it's not factual so it isn't used as real evidence."

"What happens in this story?" Seemingly because Mina heard love in this other conversation, she stopped her chat with Lita and went to the others to hear more about this tree business.

"This couple was a victim of a demon who sought the priestess's special jewel. He turned them against each other so harshly so their feelings could taint the jewel with more darkness. The demon disguised himself as the half demon and injured the priestess very badly. She thought her love only wanted the jewel by killing her, so she bound him to the Sacred Tree with her arrow and died a painful death. When the half demon saw his lover bind him, he was so traumatized. He wasn't aware of the trick the demon pulled by hurting the priestess, and so in the end both he and her suffered."

"Oh..." Serena couldn't find any words to say.

"Wasn't there any way their relationship could've been resolved?" Rei managed to reply.

"No, unfortunately. The demon who turned them against each other was clever and got away with the jewel undiscovered. What amazes me about this tale is that it isn't real, yet it could justify why the half demon has been on that tree."

"I think it could explain it," Lita replied.

"That's the saddest story I've ever heard..." Mina found herself on the verge of tears.

It broke the blonde's heart to know that someone else had it worse than her in the love department. She couldn't imagine going through this love story herself; it would turn her world upside down.

"I pity that couple," Lita added.

"Ami, we should see the Sacred Tree. I want to see the half demon."

"Me too," Mina agreed with Serena.

"How far is it away from these springs?" Rei asked Ami.

"It would be a 20 minute walk."

Kagome's date with Hojo ended and she could be seen walking back towards home. They'd went to a place in the Azabu-Juuban district called Rokuten Resturant and liked its service and food. Kagome listened to Hojo and his classmates talk for the majority of the time, and that was alright.

Her friends overemphasized the opportunity for her to go on a date with Hojo and hopefully become his girlfriend, but she'd accepted his invitation and the two didn't really connect. Maybe it just wasn't there yet, or situations had to be different. What could Kagome do about it? At the moment the teenager's mind was focused on her dream, like always...

Instead of taking the path to the Higurashi Shrine, Kagome stayed in Azabu-Juuban and went to a place that she'd heard about through school. Apparently there were hot springs where the atmosphere was peaceful and so quiet. The girl needed to be in this sort of vibe if she expected to sort her thoughts out. She started up its mountainous trail with an intent to find a serene spot and settle in.

Different trees and bushes were walked past as the journey up this mountain progressed. Kagome wasn't sure where she wanted to stop but wasn't really considering the time; her mind was a blur...

_Inuyasha!_

_Hey, you are here Kagome. So, what have you been worrying about?_

_I just feel so worthless... I even ended up hurting you, Inuyasha. I thought you'd be better off without me around._

_Would you stop going on like that?_

_Inuyasha!_

_Don't move, you'll open your wounds...__ I need you with me Kagome. Haven't you realized that yet?_

_Thank you._

_..._

_..._

_Inuyasha?_

_Come on back Kagome... I need you with me._

...

...

This was one of the many times in the dream Kagome remembered best. She and her _husband_ spoke to each other through time using the Sacred Tree. Kagome was sure that she wouldn't aid Inuyasha anymore because she'd been controlled to kill the hanyou and successfully shot an arrow into him. Kikyo had reappeared and that in itself discouraged her. But he looked past all of that and said he needed her. He knew how Kagome was hurting though stayed optimistic and was encouraging her. He was the reason she'd kept fighting. But now he wan't_ real_. She couldn't go back to him...

_That's enough! I don't want to hear it! I'm sick of you and everyone else telling me to run. I'm not running! Not without you! I won't leave you behind!_

"Inuyasha..."

Kagome brushed past another tree and stepped over another river stream. The name on her mind was unmovable. She had to say it every time her heart jumped. She was tired of bottling her feelings up.

The teenager finally came to a clearing and paused to take in its surroundings. It seemed good enough to sit down in, but there was still more ground to cover.

She walked for a couple of minutes more and almost felt her breathe leave her body. Her eyes widened like tea-saucers, and whatever the girl saw to make her react like this made her lose her step. There, in the distance, pinned to an unusual tree, was the boy of her dreams. Just as she'd found him the first time their interactions began. "Inuyasha!

Quickly, Kagome acted and hurried towards the Sacred Tree like her life depended on it. She could've wondered how him and this tree got here, why so in her era, but she didn't. Dream or reality, Kagome was coming back to him. She wouldn't run or leave him behind anymore. "INUYASHA!"

Ami and her group were inching closer to the place with the Sacred Tree as well. They passed by another bush and soon heard a female panting for breath. A girl who was about their age darted past them without noticing any of them and kept on running.

"Woah! What's got her in such a hurry?" Lita said worriedly.

"Oh! She's headed in the same direction as we must go to reach the Sacred Tree," Ami realized.

"Really? Then let's just go after her."

So, the Sailor Scouts went after Kagome. They weren't prepared for having to run faster just to keep her in sight, but they would manage. Wherever she was going, it sure was important.

Kagome carried her legs as fast as her body would allow her, and impulsively she approached the Sacred Tree, reached up to Inuyasha, and snatched the arrow out of him. The weapon disappeared in a purple glow and Inuyasha slumped to the ground, still unconscious. "Inuyasha!"

Mina, Ami, Lita, Serena, and Rei all watched this take place from behind a tree. The expressions they wore couldn't show half of their actual reactions. This girl had actually released this hanyou from this tree!

"What? She made that arrow disappear!" Serena almost spoke above a whisper.

"She's related to it somehow... she must also know that half-demon," Ami replied.

"Shhhhhhh! Let's see what happens when he wakes up."

Mina was liking this story of the Sacred Tree and was interested in how Kagome was involved. She and the others stayed silent as the teenager yearned for Inuyasha to wake up and have his eyes spot hers.

"Inuyasha... wake up."

Kagome slowly knelt down in front of the hanyou and stared into his face. He looked content as though he'd had the best rest; perhaps sleeping for 500 plus years could do that to a person.

"Uhh..."

He started moaning and lifting his eyelids. The first glimpse of those golden-yellow irises made Kagome jump a little, but why? She'd met this person and was so used to him. They'd been inseparable, so why the change?

The Sailor Scouts each saw Inuyasha's eyes and were awestruck. He really was a half demon breed, and a handsome one at that.

"He's exactly like my sempai in school who broke my heart," Lita blushed passionately.

"He reminds me of my first boyfriend," Mina added with a similar emotion.

"I wonder how this girl's familiar with him."

Ami shared this thought with her friends, and together they watched Inuyasha fully wake up and notice the person in front of him. First he was surprised, then he made a smirk to cover that and acted arrogant.

"Hello, Kikyo. You came back because you felt bad for what you did?"

"I'm not Kikyo. It's me, Kagome."

"_Kagome_? I don't know anyone with that name. You sound pretty dumb, Kikyo."

"I'm not her. Don't you remember me? I'm her descendant from 500 years later, Kagome. Me, you, Miroku, Shippo, and Sango all worked together to stop Naraku from taking the Shikkon Jewel. We were a team."

"Naraku? What are you talking about? Just go ahead and fight me again."

Kagome lost her voice as she listened to Inuyasha talk like this. He thought he was seeing Kikyo and couldn't tell the difference between her and Kagome here. It was like she was having her dream all over again.

Suddenly, she got an idea. "Kikyo was another girl you knew. I'm not her, and I can prove it."

"Oh yeah?"

"Sniff me."

"What?" Inuyasha's eyes widened at this statement as he watched Kagome stay directly in front of him. What was the girl thinking? "I don't wanna sniff you!"

"Well, it's the only way you're gonna see that I'm telling the truth!"

"You're crazy!"

"Say whatever you want! I'm not moving from this spot until you do it!"

"Hmph. Fine."

Inuyasha stopped talking and leaned forward to sniff Kagome's hair.

"Ahh! He's actually doing it."

"She's serious about him sniffing her. Just what's her connection with this guy?" Rei responded to Serena's comment.

"If things were different, I would say we should leave these two alone," Ami admitted.

"_You_ could bail when it gets interesting, but we would stay," retorted Lita.

"Huh?"

"Would you guys quiet down? They're gonna hear us," Rei spoke.

"Huh?" Inuyasha broke away before having the chance to learn Kagome's scent. He picked up smells of other humans and wasn't sure if he wanted to stick around. "There's other people here."

Kagome barely realized this and also got up to scan their surroundings and find anyone. The teenager didn't see any faces, but knew that Inuyasha did sense them. She noticed him set his eyes back on hers and part his lips.

"Well, you don't seem like you're Kikyo. She was smarter and much cuter."

"You really don't remember me?"

"Am I supposed to? I don't have time for this. I need to find Kikyo."

"She died."

"Huh?"

...

...

"She died after sealing you to this tree."

"Gee, that's too bad. Sorry to hear that, not that I really care. So what happened to the Shikkon Jewel after Kikyo died?"

"... I don't know."

"But you said you were her descendant! You should know something about it."

Kagome wondered if the Shikkon Jewel truly resided in her like it had in her dream. There, it was passed down to her after Kikyo's death and meant to stay in her possession. Revealing it would be the worst mistake she could ever make as it would be fought over like it had so many times in her dream. The battle would only go on...

"Humans can't use it, so why bother trying? Half demons like me can actually use its powers."

"Well, that's true, but if a human were to have it, I think it would be for the best."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"There's more to the Shikkon Jewel than you know."

"Pfftt! So you say. I don't want whoever's eavesdropping to show up or they'll be sorry. I'm outta here."

"Wait!"

Kagome outstretched her arm to plead with Inuyasha, but he still took off and ran in the direction she came.

He was only after what he wanted.

This wasn't surprising. Kagome knew when the hanyou was like this, at least from her dream. Her_point of view_.

The girl watched Inuyasha's red figured get smaller as he raced down this mountain, and tears started welling up in her eyes. The last ounce of courage she had was grounded to dust. She wasn't in any dreams. This was a_ return_ to her _beginning_.

Tears hoped to spill and roll down her face, but Kagome quickly brushed them away and regained her composure. She wouldn't let this one block in her road get the best of her. Wherever Inuyasha went, she would find and convince him of her dream and all its events. He was in them, through good and bad. He didn't get it, but Kagome knew her meeting here with him wasn't pure coincidence. There was something more.

"Oh..." Serena finally responded.

"This is a lot to take in... I don't know where to start," came Lita's voice.

"So there's a Shikkon Jewel? Kikyo was real? Kagome's dream was real?" Mina asked.

"We definitely need to keep an eye on this girl, that's the first thing," Rei declared.

"Yes, I agree. For now, let's just introduce ourselves and be friends. She's obviously been through a lot. We don't want to interrogate her about any of this without her feeling comfortable."

"Right."

And so, Ami and her pals decided that the next time they saw Kagome, they would kindly introduce themselves and form a friendship when this vacation was over. Right now, she needed to be alone.


End file.
